PANJIM: Terming the 15-minute ‘technical session’ of the Legislative Assembly held on Tuesday as a ‘joke’ and an attempt at ‘horse trading’ by the government, the Congress accused Speaker Anant Shet and the government of using the National Anthem to silence the Opposition on the floor of the House.
The allegations were rubbished by the Speaker as well as Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar, who claimed that “it would have been mockery of election and democracy, if we had raised any issues of the past government, when the fate of new government is already sealed”.
The opposition, including BJP’s former coalition partner MGP, ridiculed the government for calling a session, when elections have already taken place on February 4 and the results are due on March 11.
“Look at the timing of playing the National Anthem. The National Anthem was played when Leader of the Opposition Pratapsing Rane stood to raise the issue,” Congress Legislature Party spokesman Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco told reporters emerging out of the Assembly hall.
When Rane stood up and was about to make a statement, he was stopped by the Speaker and the Anthem was played. Rane, said the Assembly session was nothing but a ‘joke’ and ‘horse trading’ by the BJP keeping in mind that the election results which would be soon declared. “The Assembly session was called without following any procedure. No Business Advisory Committee meeting was held,” he stated.
Former MGP minister Sudin Dhavalikar said the chief minister lacks knowledge of the business of the House and the entire act is undemocratic.
